State news agency Xinhua reported that an  explosion and fire killed at least 8 people on Saturday after a leak from a liquefied gas cylinder at an apartment building in Dalian city, north-eastern China.

Five others were injured by the blast and hospitalized. The five are said to be in stable condition, CTGN news agency reported.

Emergency services were deployed to the scene immediately following the explosion, which happened at midnight. Building residents were evacuated.

"No life is in in danger for the time being," Xinhua said, adding that the cause of the explosion was under investigation.

The fire was extinguished at 2:30 a.m. local time, New Tang Dynasty Television (NTD) reported.

"I thought there was an earthquake," NTD cited a resident living close to the apartment building as saying.

mvb/rc (AP, dpa, EFE)